Allah and Mary's Vagina (Qur'an 21:91 & 66:12)

Angel Gabriel with the Virgin Mary, as depicted in the Cestello Annunciation, by Sandro Botticelli, 1489-90 AD. According to tafsir text, the Qur'an mentions in two separate places that Allah sent Angel Gabriel to blow into Mary's vagina.

In Qur'anic verses 21:91 and 66:12, Allah says that he breathed into Maryam's vagina in order to conceive Isa. When looking at the tafsirs we find that Allah did this by sending the angel Jibreel to complete this task. The word "Farj" is used in these verses to indicate where Allah/Jibreel blew, and Farj means "vagina." The verse uses "Farjaha" which means "her vagina."

Farjun (Pl. Furuj) - Pudenda (sex organ); chastity, space between legs (of horse or mare), part/s of a person (male/female) indecent to expose, external portions of the organs of generation [of a male/female]. Also the posterior pudendum because it is a place of opening, of between the legs.

Many translators of these verses were likely embarrassed to translate the word into its real meaning so they used alternate and sometimes widely varying meanings that appeared more 'holy' such as seen in the following versions:

Yusuf Ali: "who guarded her chastity; and We breathed into (her body) of Our spirit"[5]

Qur'an 21:91

Literal: And who remained chaste/(protected) her genital parts , so We blew into her from Our Soul/Spirit , and We made/created her and her son (as) an evidence/sign to the creations all together/(universes). [1]

Literal: And Mary Amran's daughter who remained chaste (protected) her genital parts between her legs, so We blew in it from Our Soul/Spirit , and she confirmed/was truthful with her Lord's words/expressions, and His Books , and she was from the worshipping humbly [4]

Translations of Verses

Qur'an 21:91

Yusuf Ali: And (remember) her who guarded her chastity: We breathed into her of Our spirit, and We made her and her son a sign for all peoples. [2]

Pickthal: And she who was chaste, therefor We breathed into her (something) of Our Spirit and made her and her son a token for (all) peoples. [2]

Arberry: And she who guarded her virginity, so We breathed into her of Our spirit and appointed her and her son to be a sign unto all beings. [2]

Shakir: And she who guarded her chastity, so We breathed into her of Our inspiration and made her and her son a sign for the nations. [2]

Sarwar: Into the woman who maintained her chastity We breathed Our Spirit and made her and her son a miracle for all people. [2]

Khalifa: As for the one who maintained her virginity, we blew into her from our spirit, and thus, we made her and her son a portent for the whole world. [2]

Hilali/Khan: And (remember) she who guarded her chastity (Virgin Maryam (Mary)), We breathed into (the sleeves of) her (shirt or garment) (through Our Rooh Jibrael (Gabriel)), and We made her and her son (Iesa (Jesus)) a sign for Al-Alamin (the mankind and jinns). [2]

H/K/Saheeh: And [mention] the one who guarded her chastity, so We blew into her [garment] through Our angel [Gabriel], and We made her and her son a sign for the worlds. [2]

Malik: And We blessed the woman (Mary), who guarded her chastity, We breathed into her of Our Spirit and We made her and her son a sign for the whole world. [2]

QXP: And remember her (Mary) who guarded her chastity (under very adverse circumstances). We breathed into her of Our Energy, and caused her, together with her son, to become a symbol of Our Grace unto all people. [2]

Maulana Ali: And she who guarded her chastity, so We breathed into her of Our inspiration, and made her and her son a sign for the nations. [2]

Free Minds: And the one who protected her chastity, so We blew into her from Our Spirit, and We made her and her son a sign for the worlds. [2]

Qaribullah: And she (Mary) who guarded her virginity. We breathed into her of Our spirit (Gabriel), and made her and her son a sign for the worlds. [2]

George Sale: And remember her who preserved her virginity, and into whom We breathed of our spirit; ordaining her and her son for a sign unto all creatures. [2]

JM Rodwell: And her who kept her maidenhood, and into whom we breathed of our spirit, and made her and her son a sign to all creatures. [2]

Palmer: And she who guarded her private parts, and we breathed into her of our Spirit, and we made her and her son a sign unto the worlds. [7]

Sher Ali: And remember her who guarded her chastity, so WE breathed into her of Our Word and WE made her and her son a Sign for all peoples. [7]

Qur'an 66:12

Yusuf Ali: And Mary the daughter of 'Imran, who guarded her chastity; and We breathed into (her body) of Our spirit; and she testified to the truth of the words of her Lord and of His Revelations, and was one of the devout (servants). [5]

Pickthal: And Mary, daughter of 'Imran, whose body was chaste, therefor We breathed therein something of Our Spirit. And she put faith in the words of her Lord and His scriptures, and was of the obedient. [5]

Arberry: And Mary, Imran's daughter, who guarded her virginity, so We breathed into her of Our Spirit, and she confirmed the Words of her Lord and His Books, and became one of the obedient. [5]

Shakir: And Marium, the daughter of Imran, who guarded her chastity, so We breathed into her of Our inspiration and she accepted the truth of the words of her Lord and His books, and she was of, the obedient ones. [5]

Sarwar: He has also told, as a parable, the story of Mary, daughter of Imran who preserved her virginity and (into whose womb) We breathed Our spirit. She made the words of her Lord and the predictions in His Books come true. She was an obedient woman. [5]

Khalifa: Also Mary, the Amramite. She maintained her chastity, then we blew into her from our spirit. She believed in the words of her Lord and His scriptures; she was obedient. [5]

Hilali/Khan: And Maryam (Mary), the daughter of Imran who guarded her chastity; and We breathed into (the sleeve of her shirt or her garment) through Our Rooh (i.e. Jibrael (Gabriel)), and she testified to the truth of the Words of her Lord (i.e. believed in the Words of Allah: "Be!" and he was; that is Iesa (Jesus) son of Maryam (Mary); as a Messenger of Allah), and (also believed in) His Scriptures, and she was of the Qaniteen (i.e. obedient to Allah). [5]

H/K/Saheeh: And [the example of] Mary, the daughter of Imran, who guarded her chastity, so We blew into [her garment] through Our angel, and she believed in the words of her Lord and His scriptures and was of the devoutly obedient. Bismillahir Raúmanir-Raúeem [5]

Malik: Another example is in the life of Mary, the daughter of `ImrAn, who guarded her chastity, and into whose womb We breathed of Our spirit, who testified to the words of her Lord, and His scriptures, and was one of the obedient. [5]

QXP: And Mary, daughter of Imran, who guarded her modesty (in very adverse circumstances. She revolted against the non-Divine institution of monasticism, and got married adopting the natural family life). And We breathed into her (baby) something from Our Energy (free will, as We do to all human beings (2:30)). And she put faith in the Commands and Laws of her Lord, and was of the obedient. [5]

Maulana Ali: And Mary, the daughter of Amran, who guarded her chastity, so We breathed into him Our inspiration and she accepted, the truth of the words of her Lord and His Books, and she was of the obedient ones. [5]

Free Minds: Also Mary, the daughter of Imran, who maintained her chastity. So We blew into her from Our spirit, and she believed in the words of her Lord and His Scriptures; and she was of those who were obedient. [5]

Qaribullah: And, Mary, 'Imran's daughter, who guarded her chastity so We breathed into her of Our Spirit (Gabriel); and she put her trust in the Words of her Lord and His Books, and was among the devout. [5]

George Sale: And Mary the daughter of Imran; who preserved her chastity, and into whose womb we breathed of our spirit, and who believed in the words of her Lord and his scriptures, and was a devout and obedient person. [5]

JM Rodwell: And Mary, the daughter of Imran, who kept her maidenhood, and into whose womb we breathed of our spirit, and who believed in the words of her Lord and His Scriptures, and was one of the devout. [5]

Asad: And [We have propounded yet another parable of God-consciousness in the story of] Mary, the daughter of Imran, 24 who guarded her chastity, whereupon We breathed of Our spirit into that [which was in her womb], 25 and who accepted the truth of her Sustainer's words - and [thus,] of His revelations 26 - and was one of the truly devout. [5]

Palmer: And Mary, daughter of Imran, who guarded her private parts, and we breathed therein of our spirit and she verified the words of her Lord and His books, and was of the devout. [8]

Sher Ali: And sets forth as an example Mary, the daughter of Imran, who guarded her chastity - so WE breathed into him of Our Spirit - and she fulfilled the prophecy conveyed to her in the words of her Lord contained in HIS Books and she was one of the obedient. [8]

Tafsir

'Ibn Kathir

Qur'an 21:91

(And Maryam, the daughter of `Imran who guarded her chastity. And We breathed into it [her garment] through Our Ruh) [66:12]. [3]

Qur'an 66:12

[وَمَرْيَمَ ابْنَةَ عِمْرَانَ الَّتِى أَحْصَنَتْ فَرْجَهَا]

(And Maryam, the daughter of `Imran who guarded her chastity (private part).) meaning, who protected and purified her honor, by being chaste and free of immorality,

[فَنَفَخْنَا فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِنَا]

(And We breathed into it (private part) through Our Ruh,) meaning, through the angel Jibril. Allah sent the angel Jibril to Maryam, and he came to her in the shape of a man in every respect. Allah commanded him to blow into a gap of her garment and that breath went into her womb through her private part; this is how `Isa was conceived. [6]

Muhammad Asad

Qur'an 21:91

Asad: AND [remember] her who guarded her chastity, whereupon We breathed into her of Our spirit [This allegorical expression, used here with reference to Mary's conception of Jesus, has been widely - and erroneously - interpreted as relating specifically to his birth. As a matter of fact, the Quran uses the same expression in three other places with reference to the creation of man in general - namely in 15:29 and 38:72, "when I have formed him... and breathed into him of My spirit" and in 32:9, "and thereupon He forms [lit., "formed"] him fully and breathes [lit., "breathed"] into him of His spirit". In particular, the passage of which the last-quoted phrase is a part (i.e., 32:7 - 9) makes it abundantly and explicitly clear that God "breathes of His spirit" into every human being. Commenting on the verse under consideration, Zamakhshari states that "the breathing of the spirit [of God] into a body signifies the endowing it with life": an explanation with, which Razi concurs. (In this connection, see also note on 4:171.) As for the description of Mary as allati ahsanat farjaha, idiomatically denoting "one who guarded her chastity" (lit,, "her private parts") it is to be borne in mind that the term ihsan - lit., "[one's] being fortified [against any danger or evil]" - has the tropical meaning of "abstinence from what is unlawful or reprehen­ sible" (Taj al-Arus), and especially from illicit sexual intercourse, and is applied to a man as well as a woman: thus, for instance, the terms muhsan and muhsanah are used elsewhere in the Quran to describe, respectively, a man or a woman who is "fortified [by marriage] against unchastity". Hence, the expression allati ahsanat farjaha, occurring in the above verse as well as in 66:12 with reference to Mary, is but meant to stress her outstanding chastity and complete abstinence, in thought as well as in deed, from anything unlawful or morally reprehensible: in other words, a rejection of the calumny (referred to in 4:156 and obliquely alluded to in 19:27 - 28) that the birth of Jesus was the result of an "illicit union".] and caused her, together with her son, to become a symbol [of Our grace] unto all people. [For my rendering of the term ayah as "symbol", see surah 17:1 and surah 19:21.][9]